Christmas Tree '08

This is the view from my chair right now. Without moving my head I can see the lighthouse that I got from Loni one year, it changes colors, the "Yertle the Turtle" ornament from Jill, the ornament my nephew made in 5th grade when he was living with us, lots of ornaments from the collection my aunt has started for the boys, several favorites the boys have made, including the oldests' tin soldier, and a few other turtles here and there.

Some of the ornaments were on the earliest trees I can remember from my childhood. The wreath on the wall was made by my best friend in high school and I have had it since early in my marriage.

The stars on the top were made by the boys with Raymond's help. The silver foil one is the one the oldest made when he was very small, and the yellow crayoned one was done by the youngest when he wanted his own star too. The foil one is in need of new foil, but I just can't bring myself to refoil it knowing that Raymond held that foil in his hand and helped our oldest son wrap it around the cardboard.

There are 3 smaller trees in the room. A fiber optic that was my mother's and is on a table with more of her decorations. A green ceramic tree on the fireplace was a gift to my mother from my father back in 1974. He had it in the trunk of his car when he had an ulcer perforate in his stomach and almost died. When Mom went to see him in the ICU he told her to make sure she looked in the trunk. He was working in three states at the time and he had asked his landlady in South Carolina to make the tree for my mother. There is another white ceramic tree with red cardinals in the kitchen pass through window that my parents won as a door prize at the home builders' annual Christmas party.

Two nativities are set up in the living room. A wooden one with glued in figures under the big tree that is also from as far back as I can remember in my childhood. A sculpted cloth one that my mother made for the oldest when he was born is in front of the fireplace. We call the baby Jesus in that one "potato Jesus" because of the extra piece my mom made so Jesus could be seen in the cradle. The boys were always running off with "potato Jesus" when they were little because he fit so well in their hands. This was a nativity scene they could play with and not break so they loved it when we would put it out within their reach during the holidays.

It is so pretty in here at night when we turn on all the trees and various lit decorations. Seeing all the special decorations brings back so many wonderful memories.